diff --git a/Justfile b/Justfile
index b0156a3..2d55782 100644
--- a/Justfile
+++ b/Justfile
@@ -78,3 +78,13 @@ verify-stateful-drivers:
 
 verify-cups-patch-chain:
     tests/cups-patch-chain.sh
+
+verify:
+    just validate
+    just verify-cups-patch-chain
+    just verify-core
+    just verify-payload
+    just verify-raster-drivers
+    just verify-packaged-drivers
+    just verify-stateful-drivers
+    tests/appliance-parity.sh
diff --git a/docs/oci-physical-validation.md b/docs/oci-physical-validation.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6c956ab
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/oci-physical-validation.md
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+# OCI physical printer validation
+
+`just verify` proves the automated appliance contract with synthetic jobs. It does not prove USB enumeration, network discovery, printer firmware behavior, ink or toner output, media handling, or device-specific color. Record those results only after testing real hardware.
+
+## Automated baseline
+
+Run:
+
+```bash
+just verify
+```
+
+The x86_64 image has a 500 MiB (524,288,000-byte) uncompressed ceiling. The implementation baseline measured 449,525,807 bytes on 2026-09-16. `tests/appliance-parity.sh` measures the local image through Podman and fails above that ceiling. The gate also checks OCI metadata, payload inventory, absence of development content, interpreter policy, and every ELF dependency.
+
+The OCI driver contract is the complete list under [Contained Printer Drivers](../README.md#contained-printer-drivers-in-the-snap), not a sample. Despite the historical heading, the FSDK image must retain every listed Ghostscript/Foomatic driver and every named external driver family. The parity gate requires each legacy Ghostscript name as either a compiled Ghostscript device or an exact Foomatic PPD entry, then separately checks all external driver, filter, backend, and PPD-provider families.
+
+## USB printer
+
+1. Build the exact revision under test with `just build`.
+2. Connect and power on the printer. Confirm the host sees it before starting the container.
+3. Start the appliance with host networking, persistent state, and USB access:
+
+   ```bash
+   mkdir -p .state/physical-usb
+   podman unshare chown -R 65532:65532 .state/physical-usb
+   podman run --rm --name ghostscript-printer-app-usb \
+     --network host \
+     --device /dev/bus/usb \
+     --group-add keep-groups \
+     -e PORT=18080 \
+     -v "$PWD/.state/physical-usb:/var/lib/ghostscript-printer-app:Z" \
+     ghcr.io/projectbluefin/ghostscript-printer-app:build
+   ```
+
+4. Open `http://127.0.0.1:18080`, add the discovered USB device, and select its intended driver rather than a generic substitute.
+5. Print the built-in test page. Confirm that the job completes, paper and resolution match the selected options, graphics and text are complete, and the device reports no protocol or filter error.
+6. Restart the same command and confirm that the printer and any edited profile or configuration remain present.
+
+If rootless device access is denied, fix host udev/group permissions. Do not validate with a privileged container because that hides the shipping access model.
+
+## Network printer
+
+1. Build the exact revision under test with `just build`.
+2. Start the appliance without USB access:
+
+   ```bash
+   mkdir -p .state/physical-network
+   podman unshare chown -R 65532:65532 .state/physical-network
+   podman run --rm --name ghostscript-printer-app-network \
+     --network host \
+     -e PORT=18081 \
+     -v "$PWD/.state/physical-network:/var/lib/ghostscript-printer-app:Z" \
+     ghcr.io/projectbluefin/ghostscript-printer-app:build
+   ```
+
+3. Open `http://127.0.0.1:18081`. Confirm DNS-SD discovery when the printer advertises itself; otherwise add its `socket://`, `ipp://`, or `ipps://` address manually.
+4. Select the intended driver and print the built-in test page.
+5. Confirm completed job state, physical output, selected media/resolution, and absence of backend or filter errors.
+6. Restart with the same state directory and repeat one print to prove persisted configuration.
+
+## Result record
+
+Record the image digest, commit, date, printer make/model, connection type, device URI, selected driver, tested options, restart result, and observed output. Mark USB and network separately. A synthetic CI pass must never be recorded as physical validation.
diff --git a/docs/superpowers/plans/2026-09-16-fsdk-appliance-parity.md b/docs/superpowers/plans/2026-09-16-fsdk-appliance-parity.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..154a116
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/superpowers/plans/2026-09-16-fsdk-appliance-parity.md
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+# FSDK Appliance Parity Implementation Plan
+
+**Goal:** Provide one local command that proves the complete FSDK OCI appliance contract against the real built image, while keeping physical printer validation explicit and honest.
+
+**Architecture:** Keep the existing slice-specific smoke tests as the owners of conversion and lifecycle behavior. Add one final image-audit script for cross-cutting invariants: OCI metadata, uncompressed size, runtime bloat, interpreter/toolchain policy, complete ELF closure, and the advertised backend/filter/driver/PPD-family inventory. Expose an aggregate `just verify` recipe that runs graph validation, every slice gate, and the final audit. Strip the residual FSDK debug payload during OCI layer assembly rather than adding another compose layer.
+
+## Task 1: Enforce final image invariants
+
+- [x] Remove `/usr/lib/debug` from the assembled OCI layer; keep licenses and runtime data.
+- [x] Add `tests/appliance-parity.sh` with a 500 MiB uncompressed x86_64 image ceiling and exact OCI user, entrypoint, architecture, source, license, title, application-version, and FSDK-version checks.
+- [x] Reject package managers, compilers, build systems, headers, debug files, non-license test trees, and static archives in the final image.
+- [x] Require Bash and Python as the only application interpreters, and reject Perl, Ruby, Node, Lua, and Tcl runtimes.
+- [x] Walk every ELF file in the running image and fail if any shared-library dependency is unresolved.
+
+## Task 2: Enforce advertised payload parity
+
+- [x] Require the complete CUPS backend set used by the appliance: DNS-SD, IPP/IPPS, LPD, SNMP, socket, and USB.
+- [x] Require every README-advertised Ghostscript/Foomatic driver plus executables and CUPS filters for HPIJS, pnm2ppa, pxljr, foo2zjs, SpliX, brlaser, fxlinuxprint, c2esp, rastertosag-gdi, Dymo, P-Touch, c2050, cjet, min12xxw, m2300w, CUPS, and cups-filters.
+- [x] Require every PPD provider family: core cups-filters/Foomatic/manufacturer data plus pxljr, foo2zjs, SpliX, brlaser, fxlinuxprint, c2esp, rastertosag-gdi, Dymo, P-Touch, OKI, and m2300w.
+- [x] Add `just verify` as the single aggregate command running graph validation, the CUPS patch-chain proof, all real-image behavior gates, and the final parity audit.
+
+## Task 3: Document physical validation
+
+- [x] Add `docs/oci-physical-validation.md` with separate USB and network-printer procedures, the automated size ceiling, expected discovery/printing observations, and a result-record template.
+- [x] State explicitly that CI and local synthetic gates do not prove physical printer behavior.
+
+## Task 4: Verify and publish
+
+- [x] Run `just verify`, workflow lint, shell syntax checks, and `git diff --check`.
+- [x] Review the full diff from `feat/fsdk-stateful-drivers` and resolve all blocking findings.
+- [x] Resolve issue 07, commit and push `feat/fsdk-appliance-parity`, and open a stacked PR based on `feat/fsdk-stateful-drivers`.
diff --git a/elements/oci/ghostscript-printer-app.bst b/elements/oci/ghostscript-printer-app.bst
index 9cf7a30..aa660d5 100644
--- a/elements/oci/ghostscript-printer-app.bst
+++ b/elements/oci/ghostscript-printer-app.bst
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ config:
         'nonroot:x:65532:' \
         >> /layer/etc/group
       rm -rf /layer/run/dbus /layer/run/avahi-daemon /layer/run/ghostscript-printer-app
+      rm -rf /layer/usr/lib/debug
+      rm -f /layer/usr/bin/cupsd /layer/usr/bin/ippeveprinter
       chmod 0777 /layer/run
       install -d -m 1777 /layer/tmp
       install -d -m 0777 \
diff --git a/tests/appliance-parity.sh b/tests/appliance-parity.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..5384a61
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/appliance-parity.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,212 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+set -euo pipefail
+
+podman_binary="$(command -v podman)"
+if ! "$podman_binary" info >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+  podman() { sudo "$podman_binary" "$@"; }
+fi
+
+image="ghcr.io/projectbluefin/ghostscript-printer-app:build"
+size_limit_bytes="${IMAGE_SIZE_LIMIT_BYTES:-524288000}"
+
+just build
+
+advertised_ghostscript_drivers="$(python3 - <<'PY'
+import pathlib
+import re
+
+readme = pathlib.Path("README.md").read_text()
+match = re.search(
+    r"### Contained Printer Drivers.*?- \*\*Ghostscript built-in\*\*:\s*```(.*?)```",
+    readme,
+    re.DOTALL,
+)
+if match is None:
+    raise SystemExit("FAIL: README Ghostscript driver inventory is missing")
+print(" ".join(match.group(1).replace(",", " ").split()))
+PY
+)"
+
+fsdk_version="$(python3 - <<'PY'
+import pathlib
+import re
+
+junction = pathlib.Path("elements/freedesktop-sdk.bst").read_text()
+match = re.search(r"ref: freedesktop-sdk-(.+?)-0-g[0-9a-f]{40}$", junction, re.MULTILINE)
+if match is None:
+    raise SystemExit("FAIL: pinned freedesktop-sdk release is missing")
+print(match.group(1))
+PY
+)"
+
+size_bytes="$(podman image inspect "$image" --format '{{.Size}}')"
+if ((size_bytes > size_limit_bytes)); then
+  printf 'FAIL: uncompressed image is %s bytes; limit is %s bytes\n' "$size_bytes" "$size_limit_bytes" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+case "$(uname -m)" in
+  x86_64) expected_arch=amd64 ;;
+  aarch64) expected_arch=arm64 ;;
+  *) printf 'FAIL: unsupported verification architecture %s\n' "$(uname -m)" >&2; exit 1 ;;
+esac
+
+test "$(podman image inspect "$image" --format '{{.Architecture}}')" = "$expected_arch"
+test "$(podman image inspect "$image" --format '{{.Config.User}}')" = 65532:65532
+test "$(podman image inspect "$image" --format '{{json .Config.Entrypoint}}')" = '["/usr/bin/catatonit","--","/usr/bin/bash","/usr/libexec/ghostscript-printer-app/container-entrypoint"]'
+test "$(podman image inspect "$image" --format '{{index .Config.Labels "org.opencontainers.image.title"}}')" = ghostscript-printer-app
+test "$(podman image inspect "$image" --format '{{index .Config.Labels "org.opencontainers.image.source"}}')" = https://github.com/projectbluefin/ghostscript-printer-app
+test "$(podman image inspect "$image" --format '{{index .Config.Labels "org.opencontainers.image.licenses"}}')" = Apache-2.0
+application_version="$(podman run --rm --entrypoint /usr/bin/ghostscript-printer-app "$image" --version)"
+test "$(podman image inspect "$image" --format '{{index .Config.Labels "org.opencontainers.image.version"}}')" = "$application_version"
+test "$(podman image inspect "$image" --format '{{index .Config.Labels "io.projectbluefin.fsdk.version"}}')" = "$fsdk_version"
+
+podman run --rm --user 0:0 --entrypoint /usr/bin/bash \
+  -e ADVERTISED_GHOSTSCRIPT_DRIVERS="$advertised_ghostscript_drivers" \
+  "$image" -c '
+  set -euo pipefail
+
+  backends=(dnssd ipp ipps lpd snmp socket usb)
+  for backend in "${backends[@]}"; do
+    test -x "/usr/lib/cups/backend/$backend"
+  done
+
+  filters=(
+    c2esp c2espC command2esp command2foo2lava-pjl
+    foomatic-rip gstoraster pdftopdffx pdftops
+    pstoqpdl raster2dymolm raster2dymolw rastertobrlaser
+    rastertoepson rastertoescpx rastertohp rastertolabel
+    rastertookidotmatrix rastertookimonochrome rastertopclx
+    rastertoptch rastertoqpdl rastertosag-gdi
+  )
+  for filter in "${filters[@]}"; do
+    test -x "/usr/lib/cups/filter/$filter"
+  done
+
+  commands=(
+    c2050 cjet foo2zjs-wrapper gs hpijs m2300w-wrapper
+    min12xxw pnm2ppa psnup ijs_pxljr
+  )
+  for command in "${commands[@]}"; do
+    command -v "$command" >/dev/null
+  done
+
+  ppd_providers=(
+    KodakESP_16.drv KodakESP_C_07.drv brlaser.drv
+    cups-filters-ppds dymo-ppds foo2zjs-ppds foomatic-ppds
+    fxlinuxprint-ppds m2300w-ppds manufacturer-ppds oki-ppds
+    ptouch-ppds pxljr-ppds rastertosag-gdi-ppds splix-ppds
+  )
+  for provider in "${ppd_providers[@]}"; do
+    test -e "/usr/share/ppd/$provider"
+  done
+
+  provider_contains() {
+    local path="$1" marker="${2,,}" contents
+    if [[ -x "$path" ]]; then
+      contents="$("$path" list)"
+    else
+      contents="$(cat "$path")"
+    fi
+    if [[ "${contents,,}" != *"$marker"* ]]; then
+      printf "FAIL: %s does not contain advertised family %s\n" "$path" "$2" >&2
+      exit 1
+    fi
+  }
+  provider_contains /usr/share/ppd/KodakESP_16.drv Kodak
+  provider_contains /usr/share/ppd/KodakESP_C_07.drv Kodak
+  provider_contains /usr/share/ppd/brlaser.drv Brother
+  provider_contains /usr/share/ppd/cups-filters-ppds "PCL 6 CUPS"
+  provider_contains /usr/share/ppd/dymo-ppds Dymo
+  provider_contains /usr/share/ppd/foo2zjs-ppds Minolta
+  provider_contains /usr/share/ppd/foomatic-ppds Foomatic
+  provider_contains /usr/share/ppd/fxlinuxprint-ppds "Fuji Xerox"
+  provider_contains /usr/share/ppd/m2300w-ppds "KONICA MINOLTA"
+  for manufacturer in Gestetner InfoPrint Infotec Lanier NRG Ricoh Savin Samsung; do
+    provider_contains /usr/share/ppd/manufacturer-ppds "$manufacturer"
+  done
+  provider_contains /usr/share/ppd/oki-ppds Oki
+  provider_contains /usr/share/ppd/ptouch-ppds Brother
+  provider_contains /usr/share/ppd/pxljr-ppds "HP Color LaserJet"
+  provider_contains /usr/share/ppd/rastertosag-gdi-ppds Ricoh
+  provider_contains /usr/share/ppd/splix-ppds Samsung
+  provider_contains /usr/share/cups/drv/sample.drv Intellitech
+  provider_contains /usr/share/cups/drv/sample.drv Zebra
+
+  devices=" $(gs -h 2>&1 | tr "\n" " ") "
+  foomatic_entries="$(/usr/share/ppd/foomatic-ppds list)"
+  read -r -a ghostscript_drivers <<< "$ADVERTISED_GHOSTSCRIPT_DRIVERS"
+  ((${#ghostscript_drivers[@]} > 0))
+  for driver in "${ghostscript_drivers[@]}"; do
+    if [[ "$devices" != *" $driver "* && "$foomatic_entries" != *"-$driver.ppd\""* ]]; then
+      printf "FAIL: advertised Ghostscript driver %s has no device or PPD entry\n" "$driver" >&2
+      exit 1
+    fi
+  done
+
+  command -v bash >/dev/null
+  command -v python3 >/dev/null
+  for interpreter in perl ruby node lua tclsh wish; do
+    ! command -v "$interpreter" >/dev/null 2>&1
+  done
+  for tool in apt apt-get apk dnf dpkg pacman rpm pip pip3 cc c++ gcc g++ clang make cmake meson ninja pkg-config autoconf automake libtool ld ar as nm objcopy ranlib strip; do
+    ! command -v "$tool" >/dev/null 2>&1
+  done
+
+  python3 - <<"PY"
+import os
+import subprocess
+import sys
+
+forbidden = []
+unresolved = []
+for root, dirs, files in os.walk("/"):
+    if root == "/":
+        dirs[:] = [name for name in dirs if name not in {"dev", "proc", "run", "sys", "tmp"}]
+    if root.startswith("/usr/share/licenses/"):
+        dirs[:] = []
+        continue
+    if root == "/usr/include" or root.startswith("/usr/include/"):
+        forbidden.extend(os.path.join(root, name) for name in files)
+    if root == "/usr/lib/debug" or root.startswith("/usr/lib/debug/"):
+        forbidden.extend(os.path.join(root, name) for name in files)
+    for directory in dirs:
+        if directory.lower() in {"test", "tests", "testing"}:
+            forbidden.append(os.path.join(root, directory))
+    for name in files:
+        path = os.path.join(root, name)
+        if name.endswith((".a", ".la")):
+            forbidden.append(path)
+        if os.path.islink(path):
+            continue
+        try:
+            with open(path, "rb") as stream:
+                is_elf = stream.read(4) == b"\x7fELF"
+        except OSError as error:
+            unresolved.append(f"{path}: audit failed: {error}")
+            continue
+        if not is_elf:
+            continue
+        result = subprocess.run(
+            ["/usr/bin/ldd", path],
+            stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
+            stderr=subprocess.STDOUT,
+            text=True,
+            check=False,
+        )
+        output = result.stdout.strip()
+        if "not found" in output:
+            unresolved.append(f"{path}: {output}")
+        elif result.returncode != 0 and "not a dynamic executable" not in output and "statically linked" not in output:
+            unresolved.append(f"{path}: ldd exited {result.returncode}: {output}")
+
+if forbidden:
+    print("FAIL: forbidden runtime payload:\n" + "\n".join(forbidden), file=sys.stderr)
+if unresolved:
+    print("FAIL: unresolved ELF dependencies:\n" + "\n".join(unresolved), file=sys.stderr)
+if forbidden or unresolved:
+    raise SystemExit(1)
+PY
+'
+
+printf 'OK: complete appliance inventory, metadata, size, and runtime closure (%s bytes)\n' "$size_bytes"
diff --git a/tests/core-appliance.sh b/tests/core-appliance.sh
index a28c47e..4b63fda 100755
--- a/tests/core-appliance.sh
+++ b/tests/core-appliance.sh
@@ -1,6 +1,11 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 set -euo pipefail
 
+podman_binary="$(command -v podman)"
+if ! "$podman_binary" info >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+  podman() { sudo "$podman_binary" "$@"; }
+fi
+
 image="ghcr.io/projectbluefin/ghostscript-printer-app:build"
 name="ghostscript-printer-app-smoke"
 failure_name="ghostscript-printer-app-child-failure"
diff --git a/tests/core-payload.sh b/tests/core-payload.sh
index 30cf11a..961a5a5 100755
--- a/tests/core-payload.sh
+++ b/tests/core-payload.sh
@@ -1,6 +1,11 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 set -euo pipefail
 
+podman_binary="$(command -v podman)"
+if ! "$podman_binary" info >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+  podman() { sudo "$podman_binary" "$@"; }
+fi
+
 image="ghcr.io/projectbluefin/ghostscript-printer-app:build"
 name="ghostscript-printer-app-payload"
 port="${PORT:-18010}"
diff --git a/tests/packaged-drivers.sh b/tests/packaged-drivers.sh
index 8832f69..17cd87f 100755
--- a/tests/packaged-drivers.sh
+++ b/tests/packaged-drivers.sh
@@ -1,6 +1,11 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 set -euo pipefail
 
+podman_binary="$(command -v podman)"
+if ! "$podman_binary" info >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+  podman() { sudo "$podman_binary" "$@"; }
+fi
+
 image="ghcr.io/projectbluefin/ghostscript-printer-app:build"
 name="ghostscript-printer-app-packaged-drivers"
 port="${PORT:-18030}"
diff --git a/tests/standalone-raster-drivers.sh b/tests/standalone-raster-drivers.sh
index 31045ef..11afa01 100755
--- a/tests/standalone-raster-drivers.sh
+++ b/tests/standalone-raster-drivers.sh
@@ -1,6 +1,11 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 set -euo pipefail
 
+podman_binary="$(command -v podman)"
+if ! "$podman_binary" info >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+  podman() { sudo "$podman_binary" "$@"; }
+fi
+
 image="ghcr.io/projectbluefin/ghostscript-printer-app:build"
 name="ghostscript-printer-app-raster-drivers"
 port="${PORT:-18020}"
diff --git a/tests/stateful-drivers.sh b/tests/stateful-drivers.sh
index 7c4aaaa..6e355ac 100755
--- a/tests/stateful-drivers.sh
+++ b/tests/stateful-drivers.sh
@@ -1,6 +1,11 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 set -euo pipefail
 
+podman_binary="$(command -v podman)"
+if ! "$podman_binary" info >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+  podman() { sudo "$podman_binary" "$@"; }
+fi
+
 image="ghcr.io/projectbluefin/ghostscript-printer-app:build"
 name="ghostscript-printer-app-stateful-drivers"
 port="${PORT:-18040}"